Jerry Bedor Phillips

finished my edition for the portfolio (2012)

I was invited to be a participant in a exchange portfolio revolving around the ideas of Duality and the technique of mezzotint.

Aaron Coleman, graduate student at Northern Illinois University, organized this portfolio and I feel very lucky to be included with a great group of artists spanning 7 countries.

I found the websites for the majority of these artist:  Check them out and drool like I did. Seriously.  I keep looking at their work and I can’t help but feel a pang of jealousy and over whelming adoration.

Okay…seriously…check them out.

First 4 pieces up...5 more to go!

Dream State is in the process of hanging at One World Cafe…here in Peoria, Illinois.  6 of the 9 pieces are on the wall.  Taking a break before the last three are up.  The  show is almost  ready for me to leave it to it’s fate with the public.

Showing work in such a  public place absolutely feels different from  showing the work in a gallery.  The informal atmosphere in a way makes people (mostly some of the One World staff) approach me with questions about how the work is made and some awesome general inquiries as to the processes I used to create this body of work.

I’ve noticed I’ve been asked more questions and approached by more members of the general public about my work than anyone in a formal gallery setting.  Do galleries have a museum like quality in which people subconsciously make themselves turn their vocal volume on whisper and their inquisitive nature on “keep to oneself”?  Is approaching the artist during a reception giving an observer a “taboo” feeling?  Are galleries supposed to be a quiet self-reflection  between an observer and the art?

What is it about showing work in a public space, such as a cafe, where the priority of the patronage isn’t viewing art, that makes the artist more approachable? Am I alone in my observation?

While hanging a show in a gallery, I’m in one mindset.  The gallery is a space devoted to showing art.  It’s purpose is to exist as a location in which people enter to view the art.  At the cafe, I feel like the work is visiting presence.  There is a daily routine between the place , the staff, the customers that become cyclic in a way.  The art creates a small dent in the rotation. The rotation is no longer the smooth circular motion the cafe is used to.  It slightly wobbles.  People notice.

Or I could be typing this all up just to make myself sound like I’m really thinking, when the difference is both places nurture a different kind of social behavior. oh well.

First 4 pieces up...5 more to go!

*side note* It is really snowing outside. I ordered some hummus to help me relax in this snowy evening break.

Anyways, I’m on break and just typing up a blog entry about what odd thoughts are running around in my head while waiting for the area in front of the final wall to clear.  I took a few minutes to say hello to Ms. Karen, whom I used to work with back in my days at The Special Collections in Bradley’s Cullum Davis Library.  I’m slowly partaking in a plate of hummus and a basket of pita bread, while sipping  on a Dr. Pepper.

only three more pictures to hang! See that ladder?

I may be here a lot longer than expected but I don’t mind.  It’s worth it to sit here.

This hummus is really good.  Very good actually.

It looks like I’ll get to finish hanging last three pieces soon.   Soon being in a few seconds.

after a two hour break...the last three pieces go up in 10 minutes...bam!

And done!

I finally got a hold of a copy of the January 20, 2012 issue of The Argus and I didn’t realize that the article I was interviewed for was a front page feature with color photos!  The article is short but I really thought it was a good write up.  Today has been a good day. I went to IWU met with Carmen and the IWU gallery crew, took down my show, packed it in my car, Carmen treated me to a medium Vanilla Chai from The Dugout on IWU’s campus, then I hit up the Chipotle and back to Peoria I headed!